Method of extracting sulphur



Patented June 17, 1930 "UNITED, ySTAT fs PA'rEN'l-fv OFFICE i ARTHUR .'r. CROWLEY, OE sULrHUE, NEVADA, AssIeNoE To HUMBOLDT SULPHUR COMPANY, OE sULPHUE, NEVADA, A CORPORATION OE DELAWARE METHOD OF EXTEAOTING SULPHYUE Applicationfled July 6,' 1927.A Serial No, 203,799.

i, My invention relatesito al method-and ap' paratus for extracting sulphur-from Asulphur containing material, ls uch as )sulphur Ore, in which the sulphur 1s mechanically enclosed, and the broad object of my invention is to extractr the sulphur containing;A

material by means ofa liquid heated to a high temperature.

Another object oflthe inventionl is to eX-v Atract thefsulphur by a continuous process.

.Another Object ofthe invention'is to extract the sulphur in such a manner as to i `separate itfrom the residue which is left in` the sulphur containing material after 'the sulphur is ,melted therefrom,l and during the process of extraction,

Anotherobjeet of the invention isfto pro. videa bath of molten sulphur as ainueleus about which Athe molten sulphur may becol- 2() lected.

Other objects of the invention, together with the foregoing, will be set forth 1n the following vvdescription of my preferred embodiment of means for practicing my inf vention and which is illustrated in the -drawings accompanying and forming part of the specilicaton. Itis'to be understood that I do not .limit myself to the showing made by the said description and drawing, as I may Aadopt variations ,of my preferred form withinthe scope of my invention as setforth in the claims.

Referringto the drawings: The figure is a vertical sectional view,

partly in elevation, of the apparatus .for-

carrying out my invention.

In a mixture of sulphur ore residue, super- .heat-ed Water and molten sulphur, the water willv Wet the ore residue, -Whrle' the molten sulphur will not -be attracted thereto but will collect in globules and duetothe strongr inter- .molecular attraction between the globules,

theylwill tend to collectI a mass. ,"IfheA above phenomenon is facilitated by having a mass of molten sulphur as a nucleus, vabo11t;\'vl1 ich the globules can collect. lhls physical property is taken'advantage'of in.v

. my processthe Jproperty supporting', on its surface, materialsof greater. specific gravity than the' sulphur. `Although this phenomenon'is v hard to explain, itis probablydue-,to the surface tension of thesulphurand its great intermoleeular attraction. .Usingr theA grade of sulphur ore vfound in Humboldt County,

Nevada, a mass of molten sulphur, under the above recited conditions, will support a residue, resulting from 4the' extraction o f sulphur from sulphur ore, to a depth of, four inches above'itssurfaee. .Of course, the volume of lresidue supported by the mass will be diierent for different types of ores, depend ing on their various specific gravities. This property is also taken advantageof. in my process. i f y In terms of broad inclusion, my invention comprises a chamber intofwhich apipe projects at a point near the bott-om; thereof. A mass or nucleus of molten sulphur, kin .the

bottom, is maintained at sucha level below the projecting pipe, Vthat the `distance be tweenits 'surface and the pointat which the -ioat which, as it rises and falls, opens and closes various circuits which control operating means for adjusting the valve.. If desired,`the valve may beman'uall-y controlled, and the level of the sulphur may berdetermined by means 'of a gauge outside the cham'-` "bein` In order to prevent solidificat-ion of the molten sulphur, `a steam jacket .or `any other heating' means, surrounds the bottom of the chamber. Near the `top thereof is a control valve,'Wl1iel1 controls vthe ra-teef flow of water therethrough.

When sulphur Ore, water and steam are forced into the pipe, which projects into the chamber, the stealn superheatsthe water thus melting the sulphur from the ore.A Asthe mixture-flows into the chamber, the molten sulphur collects and sinks to the bottom and forms a nucleus about which more molten sulphur can collect, while the superlieated water which flows, due` to the velocity imparted to it by the mixture forced into the chamber, carries the residue thru the control valve and out of the chamber.

As described the sulphur will support acertaiii amount of resid-uc. licnceiit can be seen that if the flow of.

l water is rapid enough it will carry the residue 'v a lve.

out of the chamber while the sulphur will Separate and collect about the nucleus. 'hcnnucleus of sulphur and sup'eilieated water,

and then contin'uefrom that point, as pre gviously described.

In detail, my apparatus comprises the chamber 1 having areinovable lhead 2, and steam jacket 3, around tlievbottoin thereof. Into the jacket lea'tl the usual steam `inlet pipe 4, and outletpipe 6. A sulphur drain vvalve 7 is located in the bottom of the chai-iiber, While a drain valve 8 is located in the bottom of the steam jacket. Near the top of the chamber is the control valve 9 which is f adjusted to balancetlie pressure and velocity of the superheated water,so. as to maintain.

the proper temperature, and to cause the vvater to carry with it the residue without the particles ofsulphur, while on the side is the gaugell, which indicates the level of 'the sulphur and water. Leading into the chamber is the extractor pipe 12, thru which water and sulphur containing iiiaterial are forced by means of pump 13 or by anyjother iiieans, such as gravity. Steam inlet pipe 14, projects into pipe 12, Iand the steam admitted therein superlieats the water which melts the sulphur from the sulphur containing material.

As previously described' `it is important that the level-of the sulphur is maintained below that of pipe 12 and sufficiently high to prevent the residue, whichmiglit fall on the surface of lthe sulphur, from 'breaking through. If the level 'of the sulphur rises, due to .the accumulation of molten sulphur in the bottom of the chaii'iber, valve 7 automatically opens, by means of any conventional y mechanical or electrical arrangement which is controlled by the rise and fall of the level, so as to a1lo"w sulphur to flow from the chamber, and closes when the level falls-too low. However, this valve may be operated by hand -ifso desired.

The sulphur produced by the method and apparatus of the present invention is practically 100% pure.

I claim: 1. A process of extracting sulphur which comprises subjecting a mass of' sulphur containing material to superheated water to melt the sulphur therefrom, and forcing the resulting mixture into a flow of super-heated water resting on a mass of molten sulphur.

2. A process of extracting sulphur which comprises subjecting almass of sulphur containing material to superlieated water to melt tainingmaterial to superlieated water to melt the sulphur therefrom, forcing the resulting mixture into a flow of superlieated water resting on a mass of molten sulphur, and conf trolling the level of'tlie molten sulphur.

5. A process of extracting sulphur which ,comprises subjecting-a. mass of sulphur containing material to superlieated water to melt the sulphur therefrom, forcing the resulting mixture into a flow of superlieatedwater resting on a mass of.molten sulphur, controlling the rate of flowr of the water., and controlling the level of the molten sulphur.

(. A process of extracting sulphur which comprisessubjecting a mass of4 sulphur containing material to superheated water to iuelt the sulphur therefrom; forcing the resulting mixture into aflow of superheated water resting on a mass of molten sulphur; and niaiutainingY thclevel of the molten sulphur at a point above which any residue, in the sulphur containing material left after the melt'-A ing ofthe sulphur. which tends to fall on the mass of molten sulphur, will not break thru the surface thereoV 7 A vprocess of extracting sulphur which comprises subjecting a massofsulphur containing material to sin )erheated water to melt the sulphur therefrom, forcing theresultiiig mixture into a flowl of superheated water resting on a mass of molten sulphur, and maintaining tlie surface level of the vmolten sulphur at a point within four inches of the point at which the mixture is forced into the super- -heated water.

SKA process of extracting sulphur which comprises subjecting a mass of sulphur containing material lto superheated water to melt the sulphur therefrom, and passing the resulting mixture into superheated Water resting on a mass of molten sulphur.

9. A- process of extracting" sulphur which comprises subjecting a, mas's of sulphur containing material to superheated water to melt the sulphur therefrom, and subjecting the resulting mixture to Contact with the surface only of a mass of molten sulphur. l

In testimony-whereof, I have hereunto setv my hand.

` ARTHUR J. CROWLEY. 

